News
Launch of the Fair Care Campaign , 20th March 2012
RMAC members joined NPC delegates who gathered in committee room
31 at the House of Commons to launch the Fair Care Campaign. Read
the full story by clicking >here<.
Diary of CWU retired members supporting National Pensioners Convention week of action in the South East
24 - 29 October 2011
The NPC called for a week of action during the week of 24 - 29 October. It called for its members to organise events in their regions during this week to highlight the issues that affect pensioners.
Within the London area three events were attended on behalf of the retired members of both the London & South East regions.
Monday 24th October - Rally outside Royal Courts
of Justice - Alongside members from the NPC and other
unions, the CWU was well represented at a rally outside the Royal
Courts of Justice. There in support of public sector unions
challenging the Government's ruling to change the payment of
their pensions based on the lower CPI instead of RPI, union leaders
argue the switch could cost pensioners tens of thousands of
pounds.
It was later reported that Lord Justice Elias told the court
that the judges themselves - as civil servants - were also affected
by the changes.
Tuesday 25th October - NPC annual rally and lobby of Parliament.
Pensioners from all over the country gathered outside parliament
on a wet and cold day for a photo call before attending the rally
in committee room 14 in the Houses of Parliament.
Speakers included the Shadow Pensions Minister Gregg Mc
Clymont, Caroline Lucas MP, and union leaders form NUT, Unite and
Unison. Gregg Mc Clymont told the crowd that he looked forward to
discussing pension issues further. However, Steve Webb, Pensions
Minister, declined to confirm that next year's state pension
will rise by 5.2% - saying that the issue would be determined in
the Chancellor's Autumn statement.
Dave Prentis, Unison general secretary, told
the rally that he was fully behind the NPC manifesto, saying:
"Pensioners have been putting away a little each week, so they
don't have to rely on benefits.
"Pensions don't give them luxury but should give them
some security in retirement. Our fight is for a decent state
pension for all based on rights, not on means tested
benefits", he said.
Many Pensioners went on to lobby their MPs on the key rights for pensioners, including:
- The right to decent state pension set above the poverty level.
- The right to be cared for properly through a National Care Service
- The right to be free from fuel poverty through higher winter fuel allowance. (Government have cut the winter fuel allowance for this year by £50.)
Frank Cooper, president of the NPC, reported:
"It seems the government is in danger of ignoring its own
policy on pensions. They made a big deal out of the triple lock,
but now some ministers are saying they can't afford to pay the
5.2% increase on pensions."
Saturday 29th October - march and rally, Sutton
The march was very well attended with banners from
pensioner's forums and trade unions. Marching through the
constituency of Paul Burstow, Minister of State for the department
of health, marchers gathered in the local Salvation Army hall to
hear from speakers including the Minister, Paul
Burstow, health worker Kevin O'Brian
and Dot Gibson, secretary of the NPC.
In his opening address to the meeting, the Minister said he
strongly endorsed the NPC's Dignity Code which covers the right
of older people when in care. He went on to say that it was an
excellent code and he looked forward to working with the NPC to
publicise it. The Minister also told the meeting that some care
homes and hospitals have fallen below a basic standard of care and
that the government is introducing unannounced inspections on care
homes and hospitals as a result.
Concluding, he said: "We must reform social care in this
country, and we need laws to protect the elderly."
Following a question and answer session with the Minister,
Kevin O'Brian, a nurse working within the NHS,
told the meeting that a top heavy management structure is to blame
for a lot of the problems within the NHS trust hospitals and argued
that there are too many top managers who do not have enough work to
justify their jobs. He said: "Nurse's have to do jobs that
doctors used to do and health workers are performing work that
should be carried out by nurses." He also reported that, as a
savings initiative, nurses off sick are not replaced on the wards
meaning others have to cover the work.
In her closing speech Dot Gibson, NPC secretary, thanked everyone for attending and pointed out that the NPC is not a party political organisation, and will work on behalf of the pensioners of this country whichever party is in Government. Urging Minister Paul Burstow to stay committed to his support of the NPC Dignity Code, Dot said: "The chronic health and long term illness of the elderly have been transferred from the NHS to the local authority applying immense pressure on the local social care service and, of course, is means tested."
